Editing Harun al-Rashid (section)

==Anecdotes ==
 
Many anecdotes attached themselves to the person of Harun al-Rashid in the centuries following his rule. [[Saadi (poet)|Saadi]] of Shiraz inserted a number of them into his ''[[Gulistan of Sa'di|Gulistan]]''.

[[Al-Masudi]] relates a number of interesting anecdotes in ''[[The Meadows of Gold]]'' that illuminate the caliph's character. For example, he recounts Harun's delight when his horse came in first, closely followed by al-Ma'mun's, at a race that Harun held at Raqqa. Al-Masudi tells the story of Harun setting his poets a challenging task. When others failed to please him, Miskin of Medina succeeded superbly well. The poet then launched into a moving account of how much it had cost him to learn that song. Harun laughed and said that he did not know which was more entertaining, the song or the story. He rewarded the poet.{{sfn|Masudi|2013|p=94}}

There is also the tale of Harun asking Ishaq ibn Ibrahim to keep singing. The musician did so until the caliph fell asleep. Then, strangely, a handsome young man appeared, snatched the musician's lute, sang a very moving piece (al-Masudi quotes it) and left. On awakening and being informed of that, Harun said Ishaq ibn Ibrahim had received a supernatural visitation.

Shortly before he died, Harun is said to have been reading some lines by [[Abu al-Atahiya]] about the transitory nature of the power and pleasures of this world, an anecdote related to other caliphs as well.

Every morning, Harun gave one thousand dirhams to charity and made one hundred prostrations a day.{{sfn|Bobrick|2012|p=42}} Harun famously used to look up at rain clouds in the sky and said: "rain where you like, but I will get the land tax!"{{sfn|Bobrick|2012|p=45}}{{Additional citation needed|date=January 2025 |reason=Some of these anecdotes are unsourced}}

Harun was terrified for his soul in the afterlife. It was reported that he quickly cried when he thought of God and read poems about the briefness of life.{{sfn|Bobrick|2012|p=62}}{{Additional citation needed|date=January 2025 |reason=Some of these anecdotes are unsourced}}

Soon after he became caliph, Harun asked his servant to bring him Ibn al-Sammak, a renowned scholar, to obtain wisdom from him. Harun asked al-Sammak what he would like to tell him. Al-Sammak replied, "I would like you always to remember that one day you will stand alone before your God. You will then be consigned either to Heaven or to Hell." That was too harsh for Harun's liking, and he was obviously disturbed. His servant cried out in protest that the Prince of the Faithful will definitely go to heaven after he has ruled justly on earth. However, al-Sammak ignored the interruption and looked straight into the eyes of Harun and said that "you will not have this man to defend you on that day."{{sfn|Bobrick|2012|p=62}}

An official, Maan ibn Zaidah, had fallen out of favor with Harun. When Harun saw him in court, he said that "you have grown old." The elderly man responded, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful in your service." Harun replied, "But you have still some energy left." The old man replied that "what I have, is yours to dispose of as you wish... and I am bold in opposing your foes." Harun was satisfied with the encounter and made the man governor of [[Basra]] for his final years.{{sfn|Bobrick|2012|p=61}}

On [[Hajj]], he distributed large amounts of money to the people of [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]] and to poor pilgrims en route. He always took a number of ascetics with him, and whenever he was unable to go on pilgrimage, he sent dignitaries and three hundred clerics at his own expense.<ref>{{harvnb|Bobrick|2012|p=42}}</ref>

One day, Harun was visiting a dignitary when he was struck by his beautiful slave. Harun asked the man to give her to him. The man obliged but was visibly disturbed by the loss. Afterward, Harun felt sorry for what he had done and gave her back.{{sfn|Bobrick|2012|p=55}}{{Additional citation needed|date=January 2025 |reason=Some of these anecdotes are unsourced}}

Harun was an excellent horseman, enjoyed hunting (with Salukis, falcons, and hawks) and was fond of military exercises such as charging dummies with his sword. Harun was also the first Abbasid caliph to have played and promoted chess.{{sfn|Bobrick|2012|p=70}}

Harun desired a slave girl that was owned by an official named Isa who refused to give her to Harun, despite threats. Isa explained that he swore (in the middle of a sex act) that if he ever gave away or sold her, he would divorce his wife, free his slaves, and give all of his possessions to the impoverished. Yusuf, a judge and advisor to Harun, was called to arbitrate the case and to figure out a legal way for Isa to maintain his belongings even if Harun walked away with the girl. Yusuf decided that if Isa gave half of the girl to Harun and sold him the other half, it could not be said that Isa had either given her away or sold her, keeping his promise.{{sfn|Bobrick|2012|p=57}}{{Additional citation needed|date=January 2025 |reason=Some of these anecdotes are unsourced}}

Harun had an anxious soul and supposedly was prone to walk the streets of Baghdad at night. At times [[Ja'far ibn Yahya]] accompanied him. The night-time tours likely arose from a genuine and sympathetic concern in the well-being of his people, for it is said that he was assiduous to relieve any of their trials and tend to their needs.{{sfn|Bobrick|2012|p=61}}
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==Timeline==
{{Prose|date=August 2010}}
*763: Hārūn is born on 17 March, the son of Caliph al-Mahdi and the Yemeni girl al-Khayzuran. This date is not certain as other sources give the various dates, from 763 to 768. Apart from 17 March 763, February 766 is the other most probable date of his birth.<ref>{{cite book|title=[[Harun al-Rashid and the World of the Thousand and One Nights]]|page=33|first=André|last=Clot|author-link= André Clot}}</ref>
*780: Hārūn is the leader of military expeditions against the [[Byzantine Empire]].
*782: Hārūn is the leader of a military campaign against the Byzantine Empire under [[Irene of Athens]]. The defection of the Armenian general [[Tatzates]] allows him to reach as far as the [[Bosporus]]. A peace treaty is signed on favorable terms. Harun receives the honorific title ''ar-Rashīd'', named second in succession to the caliphal throne and also appointed governor of [[Tunisia]], [[Egypt]], [[Syria]], [[Armenia]] and [[Azerbaijan (Iran)|Azerbaijan]].
*786: 14 September: Hārūn's brother al-Hadi dies under mysterious circumstances&nbsp;– it was rumored that his supportive mother [[al-Khayzuran]] was responsible. Hārūn becomes the new caliph and makes [[Yahya the Barmakid]] his [[Grand Vizier]] – but al-Khayzuran exercised much influence over the politics.
*789: [[al-Khayzuran]] dies, leaving more of the effective power in the hands of Hārūn.
*791: Hārūn wages war against the [[Byzantine Empire]].
*795: To prevent Shiite rebellions, Hārūn imprisons [[Musa al-Kazim]], the Shiite imam.
*796: Hārūn moves the Imperial residence and the government from Baghdad to Raqqa.
*799: Hārūn orders Sindi ibn Shahiq to poison the 7th Shiite Imam [[Musa al-Kazim]], causing the death of the Shiite leader in prison, four years after having been imprisoned by Hārūn.
*800: Hārūn appoints [[Ibrahim ibn al-Aghlab]] governor over Tunisia, making him a semi-autonomous ruler in return for substantial yearly payments.
*802: Hārūn gives two [[albino]] [[elephants]] to [[Charlemagne]] as a diplomatic gift.
*803: Yahya dies, and even more of effective power comes in the hands of Hārūn.
*805: Harun defeats Emperor [[Nikephoros I Logothetes]] at the [[Battle of Krasos]]
*807: Hārūn's forces occupy Cyprus.
*809: Lead 5 expeditions against [[Abdurrahman Ad-Dakhil]] in Cyprus, wins the first battle in the north of [[Cyprus]]. Attacked by [[Ali An-Zabuhn]] while praying on [[Al-Masjid al-Nabawi]], received injuries to his eyes. He died on 30 November after being injured for 1 day.-->